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Minnesota public works bidding requirements

Jurisdiction: State of Minnesota
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Summary of record

Verified Jul 8, 2026
Competitive bidding threshold (public work)
More than $175,000
Governing statute
Uniform Municipal Contracting Law §471.345
Award standard
Lowest responsible bidder
Multiple-prime required?
No statewide mandate
Prevailing wage
Prevailing Wage Act §177.42
Addenda distribution
To all bidders
Compare Minnesota with every state

Competitive bidding threshold

Under the Uniform Municipal Contracting Law (§471.345), contracts estimated over $175,000 require sealed bids by public notice.1 Contracts from $25,000 to $175,000 may be made by quotation; below $25,000, in the open market. Best-value and construction-manager-at-risk methods are available above $175,000.

Award standard

Contracts go to the lowest responsible bidder.1

Multiple-prime contracts

Minnesota has no statewide multiple-prime mandate. Unlike New York's Wicks Law or Pennsylvania's Separations Act, a single general contract is permitted.

Prevailing wage

Public work funded by the state is subject to prevailing wage under Minnesota's Prevailing Wage Act (§177.42 et seq.).2

Document distribution & addenda

MnDOT §1210 requires every addendum to be electronically posted and emailed to each bidder on the Department's bidders list, and allows the Department to postpone bid opening when an addendum requires bidders to change or reconsider proposals.4

The Department may postpone bid opening (announced in the addendum) when an addendum requires bidders to change or reconsider proposals.

Record of change

Minnesota's Uniform Municipal Contracting Law sets one statewide bidding ladder: sealed bids over $175,000, quotations from $25,000, and open-market purchases below that. State-funded public work is subject to prevailing wage under §177.42.

  1. Verified

    Added document-distribution source: Standard Specifications for Construction §1210, §1203.

  2. Verified

    Page created and verified against §471.345 (Uniform Municipal Contracting Law) and the §177.42 Prevailing Wage Act.

Sources

  1. 1. Minnesota Revisor of Statutes — §471.345 (Uniform Municipal Contracting Law). revisor.mn.gov
  2. 2. Minnesota Revisor of Statutes — §177.42 (Prevailing Wage Act). revisor.mn.gov
  3. 3. MN Office of the State Auditor — Contracting and bid laws. auditor.state.mn.us
  4. 4. Minnesota DOT (MnDOT) — Standard Specifications for Construction §1210, §1203. www.dot.state.mn.us

Frequently asked

What is the competitive bidding threshold for public works in Minnesota?
Sealed bids are required for contracts over $175,000 under the Uniform Municipal Contracting Law (§471.345); contracts from $25,000 to $175,000 may use quotations.
Does Minnesota require multiple-prime contracts?
No. Minnesota has no statewide multiple-prime mandate, unlike New York (Wicks Law) or Pennsylvania (Separations Act).
Does Minnesota require prevailing wages on public works?
Yes, state-funded public work is subject to Minnesota's Prevailing Wage Act (§177.42 et seq.).

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Not legal advice. This page summarizes public law from primary sources for reference. Thresholds can change; always confirm the current requirement with the governing agency before relying on it for a specific procurement.